


A Clandestine Operation

by Transmutation



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Also magic is now tech, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And the Luxon is Matrix kind of shit, Cultural Differences, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, From various forms of murder, Hitman Mighty Nein, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mind Games, Spy Essek, To the sexy stuff, explicit - Freeform, it's a spy movie folks, no magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:40:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26126653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Transmutation/pseuds/Transmutation
Summary: Case Officer Essek Thelyss aka "Shadowhand" is a man who strives for perfection not only in himself but in his work as well. The arrival of the Mighty Nein Mercenary Company and their deliverance of a LUXON Beacon is rather unnerving, to say the least. It may be a pain, but it is a great boon to be the one assigned as their handler.I mean, it's not like some disorganized group of hitmen, thieves, private investigators, and one measly tech specialist could cause him any difficulties...
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	A Clandestine Operation

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for visiting. It has been a long while since I have written anything like this. I do hope you enjoy it, despite Essek's constant ego and narcissism. 
> 
> Please do let me know if there are any improvements to be made. I would greatly appreciate it. I hope to do weekly updates, but Sloth is my thing so we'll see how consistent this is together. Now please enjoy my purely self-indulgent creation!

The night life in Rosohna had not been kind. Nor was it generally the Shadowhand’s strong suit to convince pretty mafia daughters into accompanying him “back to his high-rise penthouse”. It was all rather distasteful to him. And although she had easily agreed with the amount of alcohol he had encouraged her to consume and the meticulous care he put into making his alias exactly her type, he was not necessarily pleased with the way she hung onto him as if he was the only steady structure in an earthquake. It was also incredibly troublesome to quietly sneak her away outside when she would not stop giggling and groping him as they hid in one of the bathroom stalls. Those annoyingly attentive thugs her doting mother kept with her had glared at him all night. Essek grit his teeth to keep from knocking her out right then and there as she pinched his ass. 

But first, he needed to push her fat ass through the bathroom window. Out on the street he hurriedly dragged the nagging woman around back as he called his car in for pick up. His charming demeanor faded as he focused his attention on getting out instead of bothering to keep leading her on. As if he would ever lay with some woman anyways. She was clearly not happy about his sudden lack of interest in her either as she drunkenly started cussing him out for being such a rough, cold hearted lover, as if they had actually done anything yet. 

He rounded the corner only to see two of those mafia thugs scanning the area for them. Tall, dark, and handsome in well-tailored suits with plenty of hidden pockets and concealed weapons. One of them spotted them, and there was still no sign of his car driving itself to the back yet. Well, wasn’t this just grand. He was not going to enjoy this.

He pushed his target up against the wall, crashing his lips into hers. He had her firmly pinned by her wrists and the way she melted into the wall reassured him that she wasn’t going to set those mafia idiots on him. He was yanked off her by one of them, stumbling back against him as he feigned horny drunken arrogance.

“Hey! What tha fawk is y’r prawblem man?! I’m jus’ tryin ta hav-a good time man” Self-important and stupid as his alias had acted when they had seen him with her only minutes ago. The one holding him did not release him, only glowered. 

“You’re in over your head, boy. The boss is gonna have your head. Your little one, I mean” the second growled as he put himself between him and his target, but much too his surprise she smacked the back of the man’s head. And like a child being struck by his mother for his rude behavior he shrunk away rubbing the back of his head. 

“Ohhhh, don’t you dare! Not again, Angraaaahd! I am goh-in’ home with him! And yoooou-”, she exclaimed in his face while poking into his chest, “are gonna shut up an’ keep your moh-uth shut aboht this ta moh-ther!” Well. Wasn’t this a wonderful distraction. He didn’t even have to do anything as the matriarch ran its course. Bonus: Essek got to see the large, muscular thug of a drow crumple in on himself as he was scolded by his boss’s daughter. So satisfying in so many ways. 

The quiet rumble of his car perked up his mood as he straightened up, still loosely held by the man behind him whose arms were hooked under and around his own. Essek oh so casually reached his arms up in a stretch, still not resisting the man holding him, then let his hands lace together behind the man’s neck. No, he did not press his body into him anymore than it had been already… but the thought had crossed him mind.

“I do apologize gents for the inconvenience, but I do believe my ride is here. So if you’ll excuse me” and suddenly his foot had sent the man in front of him reeling back, jaw flapping in the wind like rubber as he collapsed in a heap onto cold concrete. Up and over went the other to land unceremoniously atop his friend. Essek no longer had any interest in theatrics as he grabbed his target by the wrist once more and made his getaway. He was not gentlemanly, tossing her like a sack of potatoes into the back seat before taking his time to round the car and settle himself into the driver’s seat. Harsh cursing and banging fell on deaf, apathetic ears as she screeched from behind the bulletproof glass that separated the front and back seats. 

A soft hum of a sigh marked the end of his mission as his attention was drawn to the review mirror. ‘Ugh, hideous’ his mind chided. He could not believe he had accepted this assignment, dressing up like some entitled party boy from the rougher side of town. As the car made its way through the city of its own volition Essek took his sweet time preening himself; his hair set back in its proper place, his tie redone, and while he couldn’t brush out the wrinkles he certainly tried his best. The car directed itself with ease to the nearest entrance point while Essek turned on his classical collection, ignoring his target’s wails of despair and pleas to make some sort of deal for her release. No, he much preferred her like this, trapped and afraid and begging him to show mercy. But the assignment called for her to be delivered in a manageable state. While Claude Debussy was still soothing away his agitation, Essek flipped a small switch underneath one of the console panels and gas filled the back seat. Soon he was left in sweet silence. Beautiful.

But this was only a moment of reprieve. The car was taken over manually as Essek entered the winding, maze-like parking garage that spiraled down from the “Firmament Suites”. It was a rather nice place, real in any way that a normal hotel might be, but still just a cover in the end. His agency believed in using every one of their assets to their fullest potential. So, they generated a notable income in the hotel industry and operatives received resort getaways or a spa days when they were feeling worn. 

The car was parked perfectly within the lined off corner of the lowest floor. The two walls split away from the corner, rising behind the walls to allow the operative within the Bastion. He drove quietly in consideration through the lightless tunnel system to the elevator, taking him, his target, and the vehicle further into the complex.  
Essek mulled over the idea of a spa day at the Firmaments. It wouldn’t be out of his regular routine, but he couldn’t go spoiling himself so soon. He would rather hang onto it just a little longer. Taking a spa day at the beginning of your work week was never a good idea.

“Welcome back, Operative Shadowhand. Any notes on your assignment?” came the familiar greeting of Operative Ilmra as Essek stepped out of the vehicle. His trained neutral expression changed to offer her a small smile of formality.

“Nothing of note on the assignment itself. All parties are alive and in various states of “well”. Though do tell Umavi Thelyss that it was most certainly outside of my contract and below my rank to be used as a Honey Trap” he reported with a rather curt tone. Operative Ilmra merely smiled politely.

“Umavi Thelyss notified me that this would most likely be your response and instructed me to remind you that you were the only unknown Thelyss operative the Mafia Den Olios could not anticipate. Also, you are being summoned to Lady Kryn’s meeting this morning. Please do take your time to rest and make the proper preparations for today’s schedule” she informed like some robotic customer service AI. Such an annoyance that woman, but begrudgingly she was correct. He held in an exasperated sigh.

“Understood. The target is currently in the backseat unconscious.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Operative Shadowhand” she added before allowing him further into the Lucid Bastion. 

\---

Essek sighed with deep content as the hot water washed away not only the filth, but the tension. That disgusting feeling of being felt up by some woman burned away by scalding water. A nap would be a good idea too, but he hadn’t the time for it. His work needed to be prepped and organized in order to properly present his new addition to the agency’s arsenal and he truly did despise looking out of sorts in front of his coworkers. Sadly, it was true what they said; “No sleep for the wicked”, and oh how truly wicked he felt when he stepped out of the shower and began to slip away into his lavishly vain routine. Skin care, hair ointment, teeth whitening, anything and everything to keep his looks up to his own impossible standards. Not a blemish to be seen…after one little drop of deep grey, purple foundation hid away the evidence of a bit of stress. He glowered at the spot on his cheek, checking it from every angle he could manage before seeming satisfied that it was sure to go unnoticed. …Perhaps some concealer under the eyes to ease away the oncoming dark circles. Should he add mascara? His tired hum advised against it. He wasn’t going to have the time for his “beauty sleep” tonight anyways so it would only seen as him trying too hard. And beauty was most well received when it was effortlessly natural. And man did Essek painstakingly pull it off, putting everything into his calculated elegance. 

But he couldn’t admire himself all day. There was work to be done.

A tech specialist like himself truly did not belong out in the field. No, he much preferred his work here with his computer, his works-in-progress neatly assorted throughout his office, and the constant reports letting him know every little thing that happened within the Lucid Bastion headquarters. His lovely little LUXON Beacon data flash drive and Empire burner phone stashed away in an excessively locked box within a fake book on one of the large bookshelves was only one of his personal side projects.

Maybe… Maybe he could work on a program or two while he waited instead of practicing his demonstration. He knew it in and out. There was no harm in having faith in his own abilities. It would be fine. The assignment might have been a good way to stretch his legs, but he did oh so prefer his regularly scheduled meetings, assigned strategist positions, and allotted time for ingenuity whether it be for improving the current hardware used within the agency or the creation of new viable means of getting the job done. All under the scrutinous eye of his boss, of course. But he knew better than to let his own, more selfish projects be traced back to him. That’s what those snobbish Empire Industry tech specialists were for. They had access to all the hardware they needed to examine a conundrum like a LUXON Beacon or two without any of the consequences for violating Dynasty Intelligence Agency protocol that taking one apart entailed. Unfortunately, they were right bastards, but so were most in the Dwendalian Republic.

Essek retrieved his secret little treasure and opted to lounge across the sofa with a personal laptop to continue his overview of his contacts’ last report. It seemed to be going well, but it could be going better Essek mused. He smirked at the idea of pointing out one of their oversights before slipping into a pleasant rhythm of his own personal project and catching up on his own work to keep him occupied for the rest of the early morning until his day officially began. 

If only he had checked through his appointments that day, he might have noticed the odd arrival of mercenaries scheduled that morning, and if he had actually done his job, he might just have noticed the consequences they brought with them.

**Author's Note:**

> I plan to make chapters longer than this in the future, but I hope you enjoyed the quick look into Essek's work. Also, I'll try to add any uncommon explanations of the spy terms that are used. Here's a brief starter pack for you:
> 
> Spy Terms
> 
> Clandestine Operation - An intelligence operations designed to remain secret  
> Case Officer - A staff officer who manages agents and runs operations  
> Handler (also used within the title Shadowhand) - A Case Officer who is responsible for handling agents in operations  
> Honey Trap - Slang for use of men or women in sexual situations to intimidate or ensnare others


End file.
